Biography

Blair Payne is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Educational and Developmental Science. Her professional background includes experiences as a project coordinator and research assistant on several federally funded projects working to advance the educational outcomes for students with disabilities in the elementary and secondary grades. Prior to her work within education research, Dr. Payne was a high school special education teacher, instructional coach, and administrator.

Education

Blair Payne earned a Ph.D. in Special Education from The University of Texas at Austin in 2025. During her doctoral studies, she also completed a M.Ed. in Educational Psychology - Quantitative Methods in 2023. Prior to her doctoral program, Dr. Payne earned a M.Ed. in Special Education - Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Vanderbilt University and a B. A. in Psychology from Sewanee: The University of the South. Dr. Payne is a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®). 

Research

Blair Payne's research focuses on supporting secondary-aged students (i.e., students in grades 6-12) with or at-risk for disabilities through the delivery of content-area literacy interventions, professional development, and instructional coaching. She is passionate about equipping both general and special education teachers to support students with or at-risk for disabilities in the classroom.